Red Bull have seen a raft of key personnel leave the Formula 1 giants for pastures new in recent years, with Adrian Newey joining Aston Martin only their headline departure.
Tensions building amid the power struggle in Milton Keynes last term tempted Newey to get out of his Red Bull contract early. He was one of the very first names to sign up for Red Bull’s project in February 2006 and designed eight drivers’ and six constructors’ title-winning cars.
A chance to get the most decorated car designer in F1 history ahead of the 2026 regulations saw most of the paddock target the 66-year-old. Ultimately, Aston Martin made Newey a 5% shareholder for his arrival in Silverstone from March this year as managing technical partner.
New Sauber team principal Jonathan Wheatley looks ‘reinvigorated’ after leaving Red Bull
Yet Newey is just the headline name to quit Red Bull and defect to a rival team in Formula 1. Along with Aston Martin giving the design legend a new home, McLaren lured Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay (who is not set to join the Woking-based team until 2026) from Red Bull.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Audi/Sauber team principal Jonathan Wheatley? All to know
Additionally, Audi poached Jonathan Wheatley from Red Bull to take over at Sauber as their team principal. Like Newey, the 57-year-old was one of the first figures to join Red Bull back in February 2006. He signed for Audi in August 2024 and his first day for Sauber was April 1.
Wheatley enjoyed his first race as Sauber’s team principal at the Japanese Grand Prix and is also at the Bahrain Grand Prix this week. What Karun Chandhok has seen from the Briton at Suzuka and in Sakhir satisfies him Wheatley looks ‘reinvigorated’ after leaving Red Bull, too.
“Since Andrea Seidl has gone, Mattia Binotto has come in but they haven’t had a day-to-day team principal type person there,” Chandhok told Sky Sports F1 (11/04, 13:04).
“So, I think there’s a lot of work to do, but he looks reinvigorated after 20 years of going to the same office at Red Bull.”
Red Bull will not like Jonathan Wheatley immediately being re-energised like Adrian Newey
Wheatley was a major ally of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner during his time at the Milton Keynes crew. The energy drinks brand lured the Englishman away from Renault after helping Fernando Alonso secure the 2005 and 2006 titles initially to be their team manager.
READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin managing technical partner Adrian Newey
Red Bull promoted Wheatley to the position of sporting director in January 2018 and he was a central figure in their leadership structure and race team. He organised Red Bull’s pit crew as they became the standard for speed and consistency, and will now try to improve Sauber.
Audi will demand results from Wheatley alongside chief operating and chief technical officer Binotto. So, it is positive for Audi that he is reinvigorated from the start – but it is not for Red Bull after The Race noted Newey seemed re-energised from his Aston Martin unveiling, too.
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